New to Do in Kailua

Crepes No Ka Oi

Rosario “Kaykay” and Chris Tarvyd started selling crepes at fairs and festivals in 2007 and customers were so impressed, they asked the duo to open a shop.

The Tarvyds heeded their clients’ advice, found a storefront in Kailua and signed a lease.

The tiny Crepes No Ka ‘Oi opened in December and has been more successful than the Tarvyds had imagined.

“We’re full all the time,” Rosario says. On weekends, the wait is sometimes half an hour. On a recent weekday, it took about 15 minutes to get a table, but the service was efficient and friendly and the paper-thin crepes were worth the wait.

The breakfast crepes (served all day) include a Southwest version, and one called a Healthy Alternative, which is filled with yogurt, honey, granola and fruit.

Among the seven savory crepes are the pizza-flavored Godfather and Popeye’s Power, which features fresh spinach and caramelized onions. Save room for one of the 10 dessert crepes—perhaps a Sinfully ‘Ono with chocolate and whipped cream or a Dickens’ Masterpiece, loaded with bananas, Nutella and chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups. If you get full, don’t worry; there’s always the takeout option.

Crepes No Ka ‘Oi is open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. (Closed Tuesdays.) Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant stays open until 9 p.m. Sundays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Cakelava

Cakelava began business in 2005, but is still being discovered by many people, as it’s appointment-only. This isn’t any old bakery—it’s a cake shop/art studio owned by Rick and Sasha Reichart.

Sasha is the people person. Rick, the artist, is usually in the kitchen sculpting cakes into near-perfect imitations of Louis Vuitton purses, Elmo dolls, Spam cans or sushi trays.

Then there are the wedding cakes—towering layers of whatever decoration the bride and groom can dream up. Rick, who has more than 15 years’ experience designing cakes in Los Angeles, Seattle and Honolulu, makes all his own fillings, too.

Among the flavors are Rainbowlicious (six layers of orange-scented, rainbow-colored cake filled with liliko‘i curd and mango), Local Kine Special (a coconut cake made with coconut milk and shredded coconut and filled with sweet taro cream), and Kona Toffee Crunch (Kona-coffee-soaked layers of sponge cake, filled with Kona coffee cream and toffee pieces).

Cakes start at $60 for a basic six-inch cake and the price increases based on the number of servings and the level of artistry involved. Many cakes take 10 to 20 hours to build. Book ahead if you’re interested—the business is already taking orders through 2010.

Cupcakes are also available ($35 per dozen). Try the Guavatini for something different. They require at least two days’ advance notice and must be picked up at the studio.

Janel Richardson offers one of the 30 beers on tap at Kaiua Town Pub and Grill.

Photo: Alex Viarnes

Kailua Town Pub and Grill

Looking for a cozy, English-style pub? Try the new Kailua Town Pub and Grill.

It has 30 beers on tap and a decent selection of bar food: hot pastrami sandwiches, pizzas, fish and chips, and burgers. The pub also serves breakfast foods, including loco moco.

It is not fancy—it’s the kind of place with dark wood and small tables that you’d expect to find in London, not Kailua. The music is eclectic. On a recent afternoon, it ranged from Andrea Bocelli to Willie Nelson.

Hours: Mondays through Fridays, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Dinner service stops at least an hour or so before last call.